Student Resources

Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Arts

120 credits

The Department of Criminal Justice at Plymouth State University aims to serve students interested in careers in law enforcement, court administration, corrections, juvenile services, as well as graduate or law school. The Department also serves criminal justice agencies in the North Country and Lakes Region of New Hampshire by providing service and research support.

Students in Criminal Justice are exposed to a well-rounded liberal arts education that is interdisciplinary in nature. Therefore, students develop skills in a variety of areas including, but not limited to, problem solving techniques, communication skills, computing skills, and foreign language proficiency, along with an appreciation for ethical and professional behavior in the field. Upon completion of the program, students will have developed an independent sense of self, with a tolerance toward others and the ability to work in diverse cultures.

Students may transfer up to 50 percent of the required credits in the Criminal Justice BA degree program from an associate degree program. Students graduating with a BA in Criminal Justice must complete at least 50 percent of their credit hours through course work offered by Plymouth State University. For all students, at least 50 percent of the total course work for the major must be at the 3000/4000 level. The Department of Criminal Justice does not award course credit for life experience or training.

Degree Requirements

Credits

CJ 1010

The Criminal Justice System

3

CJ 2040

Criminal Adjudication

3

CJ 2070

Corrections

3

CJ 3050

The Law Enforcement Environment

3

CJ 3090

Criminology

3

CJ 3150

Society, Ethics, and the Law (DICO) (INCO)

3

CJ 4400

Research Methods in Criminal Justice

3

CJ 4800

Criminal Justice Seminar (WRCO)

3

CS 1170

Computing Technology in Criminal Justice (TECO)

3

SO 2220

Foundations of Sociology (DICO)

3

Part A - complete two major electives from the following:

6-7

AN 3600

Bones, Bodies, and Disease

CJ 3010

Forensic Science

CJ 3030

Forensic Science Laboratory

CJ 3040

Race, Class, Crime, and Justice

IS 4360

Cultural Diversity and American Society (DICO) (INCO)

PO 3630

Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties

PO 3680

Public Policy Analysis (WRCO)

PS 3030

Social Psychology

PS 3700

Psychology and Law

PS 4320

Abnormal Psychology

SO 3030

Social Psychology

SO 3070

The Sociology of the Family

SO 3100

Urban Sociology

SO 3180

Sociology of Deviance (DICO)

SO 3370

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

SO 3380

Drugs and Society (INCO)

SO 3450

Social Stratification

SW 3130

Child Welfare and Family Services (DICO)

SW 3150

Child Maltreatment

Quantitative Reasoning in the Discipline Connection - complete one of the following:

3

CJ 2350

Statistics for Criminal Justice (QRCO)

MA 2300

Statistics I (QRCO)

MA 2350

Statistics for Criminal Justice (QRCO)

General Education

EN 1200

Composition

3

IS 1111

The First Year Seminar: Critical Thinking and the Nature of Inquiry

3

MA

Mathematics Foundations

3

CTDI

Creative Thought Directions

6

PPDI

Past and Present Directions

6

SIDI

Scientific Inquiry Directions

6-8

SSDI

Self and Society Directions

6

WECO

Wellness Connection

3

Foreign language (GACO)

8

Electives

37-34

The foreign language requirement for all BA degrees calls for 0-8 credits: one year of one language (6-8 credits); or one 3000/4000 level world language course (3 credits); or being a native speaker of a language other than English (zero credit). American Sign Language I and II fulfill this requirement; however, American Sign Language does not satisfy the Global Awareness Connection.

Several of the Major Electives have prerequisites; see their course description for details.